


Between Head and Heart

by tocourtdisaster



Series: Dreams-verse [2]
Category: Lord of the Rings - J. R. R. Tolkien, Star Trek (2009)
Genre: Crossover, M/M, Reincarnation
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-01-12
Updated: 2011-01-12
Packaged: 2017-10-14 21:19:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,557
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/153563
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tocourtdisaster/pseuds/tocourtdisaster
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>He doesn't remember when the dreams started; he barely remembers what the dreams are about most of the time. All Jim knows is that by the time he realizes that these half-formed, fuzzy dreams are recurring, they've been happening for months, maybe years.</p><p>Sequel to <a href="http://archiveofourown.org/works/112376">Memories That Paint Your Face</a>.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Between Head and Heart

**Author's Note:**

> For the lovely [](http://caitri.livejournal.com/profile)[**caitri**](http://caitri.livejournal.com/), who sucked me into the world of STXI/LotR crossovers that I can't seem to escape. At the moment, there isn't any more of this story forthcoming, but I never rule out the possibility of sequels (obviously).
> 
> This is a direct sequel to [Memories That Paint Your Face](http://archiveofourown.org/works/112376) and probably won't make any sense unless you've read that already. The title for this also comes from "Dreamer to Dream" by Brightwood.

Bones is different after their visit to the fortune teller, more sure of himself somehow. Not that he'd ever been timid or uncertain, Jim thinks, but he's different now and it's killing Jim that he can't quite put his finger on how or why.

No one's said anything about this change in Bones, but no one else on board pays as close attention to him as Jim does, not even Spock who watches _everyone_ with an eagle eye. No one else has such a vested interest in Bones.

Every time Jim tries to ask Bones what really happened with the fortune teller, he always gets the same answer: "She helped me remember what I'd forgotten."

Jim always asks, "What did you remember?" and Bones always answers, "Something that's been just beyond reach of my memory for years."

Jim gives up asking after a while, though it's always in the back of his mind.

He thinks about how he doesn't even know what species the fortune teller was, has no way of knowing whether she was telepathic or not (though Jim would lay money on the former), if she somehow implanted information or programming deep in Bones's brain.

After all, it wouldn't be the first time a member of the crew has been brainwashed to everyone's detriment.

  


\------

  
He doesn't remember when the dreams started; he barely remembers what the dreams are _about_ most of the time. All Jim knows is that by the time he realizes that these half-formed, fuzzy dreams are recurring, they've been happening for months, maybe years.

It's all very beautiful, in an Impressionistic way, the landscape bright and slightly out of focus and the people clearer but hardly recognizable. There's Sam, with long hair and dressed in some sort of armor. Mom shows up a handful of times, as gorgeous as always, wearing gowns and jewels and a crown.

And then there's Bones, always Bones, but never the Bones that Jim's lived with for years. No, this Bones has blonde hair and a permanent beard and the weight of the world on his shoulders; Jim recognizes it in his stiff posture and the slight slump he sometimes sees in Bones's shoulders.

No, not Bones, Jim thinks one morning as he drifts between yet another dream and true wakefulness, face pressed against Bones's stomach, his stubble catching against the cotton of Bones's old tee shirt.

It's not Bones in the dreams.

It's Eomer.

  


\------

  
They go about their lives as normally as they always do, though 'normal' isn't a word that usually applies to life aboard _Enterprise_. Bones does whatever it is he does in Sickbay when they're not in the midst of a medical emergency and Jim sits on the bridge and does his paperwork and goes on the occasional random spot inspection of various departments.

Everyone is happy.

Life is great.

Of course, that's when the Klingons decide it would be awesome to launch a sneak attack that _Enterprise_ gets caught in the middle of.

  


\------

  
 _"Amrothos."_

 _He doesn't look up from the flowers covering his sister's grave, but he does tilt his head to the side in acknowledgement of Eomer's call. "I expected to see you here earlier."_

 _"I expected to be here earlier," Eomer says as he comes to a stop at Amrothos's side. He doesn't offer an excuse for his tardiness for which Amrothos is grateful._

 _Lothiriel loved it here, loved the plains surrounding Edoras, the mountains that bisect the sky; every letter spoke of her love of her new home, of her family. Amrothos is glad that she's come to rest in a place that she so obviously adored._

 _"I am sorry, brother," Amrothos says after a long moment of listening to the wind. He glances a look at Eomer, sees the muscles clench in his jaw as he nods his head._

 _They stand together in silence until well after the sun falls behind the mountains._

  


\------

  
Jim finds out later that he was unconscious for three days after an explosion on the bridge knocked out him and four others.

He's stuck in sickbay for an additional two days while his brain heals to Bones's satisfaction and he turns this latest dream, so much clearer than all that came before, over in his mind again and again.

Eomer. Amrothos. Lothiriel.

There's so much more to it, just beyond the edge of his conscious mind, but damned if he can remember.

Bones finally gives him a clean bill of health, but before he can wander away to deal with the associated paperwork of having had his captain in Sickbay for the better part of a week, Jim stops him with a hand on his arm.

"I think I'm remembering something," Jim tells him.

"I hope you're remembering that we both have tomorrow off and that we're not leaving our quarters unless the ship is actively under attack again," Bones says, his serious tone belied by the glint in his eye.

"Well, yeah, that too," Jim says with his best attempt at a leer that falls off his face sooner than he'd hoped. Bones just watches him and Jim should feel uncomfortable to be the object of that clinical gaze, of that brilliant mind trying to figure out what's wrong, but he doesn't. He feel comfortable, almost comforted by the fact that Bones is so obviously worried.

"Never mind," Jim says eventually. "I'll tell you about it when you get off-shift."

Bones watches him for another moment before he nods his head and brings his hand up to press his palm against the side of Jim's neck. "Just try to get some rest, okay?"

Jim leans forward and presses a quick kiss to Bones's lips. "Will do," he says as he pulls back, smiling when he sees the tiny quirk at the corner of Bones's lips. "See you at home."

"Just get out of my Sickbay, you miscreant," Bones grumbles and Jim kisses him one more time before hopping off the biobed and sauntering away.

  


\------

  
 _He passes the Halfling Meriadoc on his way to Eomer's rooms. "How is he?" he asks, not sure if he wants the answer, but needing to know either way._

 _Meriadoc hesitates for just a moment before he says, "The King is dying. I've shared what herblore I know with your healers, but I do not hold any hope for a miracle cure."_

 _Amrothos breathes deeply, in and out, and says, "Thank you for your honesty, Master Brandybuck."_

 _Meriadoc nods. "I have known and loved Eomer for many long years, my lord. I had hoped that anyone in his household would appreciate honesty in the same way he does." He sketches a short bow and says, "If you would excuse me, my lord?"_

 _"Yes, of course," Amrothos says, stepping aside to let him pass. After Meriadoc is gone, Amrothos just continues to stand there, unable to move forward. He'd known that asking the herb master for help was a long shot, but Amrothos has never liked giving up, even when the situation seems hopeless._

 _After several long moments, he spurs himself into motion and doesn't stop until he's at Eomer's bedside and can sink into the chair that's found a permanent home there. He places his hand over Eomer's on the coverlet and waits for Eomer to wake._

  


\------

  
"Jim, come on, wake up. You need to eat some dinner."

The hand on his shoulder is gentle, but insistent; Jim burrows his face deeper into his pillow, trying to hold onto the dream, trying to understand who these people are and why they're so important to his subconscious mind.

There's a sigh from above him before the hand on his shoulder is withdrawn only to reappear a moment later against his forehead. Jim turns into the caress and relaxes further when the hand starts to run through his hair.

"I'll let you sleep if you promise to eat when you finally get up, okay?"

Jim slowly rolls until he's on his side and can grasp a knee and press his legs against the small of a back. "'Kay."

"Promise me, Jim."

"I promise, Eomer."

  


\------

  
When Jim next wakes, it must be late (or early) because Bones is curled around him, his head a familiar weight against Jim's shoulder.

Bones's arm tightens around Jim's middle a second before he speaks. "Why didn't you say anything, Jim?"

Jim pulls out of Bones's hold and turns over; he can't have this conversation with Bones if he can't see Bones's face. "Why didn't you?"

"I couldn't," Bones says, his eyes almost black in the dim light. "You had to remember on your own."

"Like that fortune teller didn't help you along," Jim scoffs, but doesn't pull away when Bones's arm wraps around his middle and pulls him closer.

"Not the same," Bones says. "All she did was help me make the connections. I already remembered most of it on my own."

Jim will grant him that; after all, he remembers Bones talking in his sleep in a language that Jim thinks that now he'd probably recognize and understand.

"What does this mean?" Jim asks, pressing his forehead to Bones's, their noses brushing.

"I don't know," Bones says, "but we'll figure it out together, okay?"

"Okay," Jim replies and closes his eyes, though he doesn't sleep and neither does Bones, but that's okay.

It's okay.

  
 **End**   



End file.
